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Former CU-Boulder sprinter Jeremy Dodson under investigation since 2009

By Erica Meltzer, Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
08/19/2011 07:42:57 PM MDT

Updated:
08/19/2011 09:40:31 PM MDT

Jeremy Dodson

A former University of Colorado track star arrested this week on suspicion of identity theft has been under investigation by Boulder police since 2009.

According to an arrest warrant issued earlier this month, Jeremy Dodson, 23, was identified as a suspect in three cases in 2009 in which stolen credit cards were used to buy computers and electronic equipment and to pay cable and cell phone bills, and in a fourth case in 2011.

It was not clear why Dodson -- who had no criminal record prior to his arrest Wednesday on suspicion of nine counts of felony identity theft -- was not arrested in 2009. Detective Craig Beckjord, who wrote the arrest affidavit, said he was not assigned to the case in 2009, and police reports about the 2009 thefts were not available Friday because the case is considered open.

Reached by phone Friday, Dodson, who is free on $10,000 bond, said he believes that he is also a victim of identity theft, and that the thefts may have been in his name by a third party.

"I've lost my wallet at least three times on Pearl Street," he said. "I lost my social security card, my ID."

Dodson, a volunteer track coach at CU, was scheduled to fly to Daegu, South Korea, on Monday to compete in the IAAF World Championships from Aug. 27 to Sept. 4., according to Dave Plati, spokesman for the CU athletic department.

Dodson earned the spot -- his first on an international roster -- with a third-place finish in the finals of the 200-meter dash at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on June 26.

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Dodson, who graduated from Denver's George Washington High, transferred to CU after one year at the University of Arkansas. He was a 12-time All-Big 12 selection and a four-time All-American.

According to the arrest affidavit, on three occasions in 2009, people reported to Boulder police that their credit cards were stolen in social situations -- twice at a party and once when a man that the victims did not know accompanied a friend to their apartment -- and those credit cards were later used to make purchases or pay bills that were associated with Dodson.

Detectives used bank and business records to determine that the stolen cards were used to buy a computer, high-definition television, an iPod Touch and other electronic equipment that were sent to Dodson's address, the affidavit said. The person who made the purchases also used Dodson's CU e-mail address.

The stolen credit cards also were used to pay Comcast and T-Mobile bills in Dodson's name and the name of his mother, Peggy Dodson, of Denver, the affidavit said.

The charges on the stolen cards totaled nearly $5,000, the affidavit said.

Police also recorded a suspicious incident in 2009 in which an officer on patrol on University Hill found Dodson and his brother, Quinton Dodson, dressed all in black and wearing masks and gloves, walking around a vacant home. They told the officer that they were going to a friend's house to give him something, but the backpack they had with them was empty.

Dodson was not linked to any more credit card thefts investigated by Boulder police until January of this year. Then, on Jan. 28, a woman called police to report that after a visit to Papa Romano's, her wallet was missing.

The woman found $2,000 in pending charges on her credit card, including a Kindle e-reader from Amazon and a MacBook laptop from Apple. Both items were sent to Dodson.

The card also was used to pay $400 on a T-Mobile account listed in Peggy Dodson's name.

Dodson was arrested Wednesday while he was visiting the Victim Witness Office to report the dates he would be out of the country. Dodson is a witness in a 2010 shooting at the Broker Inn.

Authorities ran Dodson's name and found that there was a warrant out for his arrest.

Dodson said he was surprised to be arrested and had never been in contact with police about any accusations of credit card theft.

However, Beckjord, the detective, said officers were in touch with Dodson after every reported theft.

Asked about Dodson's claim that his stolen identity may have been used to make the fraudulent purchases, Beckjord noted that Dodson has never reported a stolen wallet or document, any packages showing up at his house that he didn't purchase or any hacking of his e-mail address.

"Anything is possible," he said. "It's a defense that he can raise at trial."

Dodson's agent, Vince Ewing, told the Associated Press that Dodson's identification was stolen and "apparently used by an unidentified person."

"Mr. Dodson looks forward to cooperating with the Boulder district attorney and the Boulder police department during the discovery process," Ewing said. "We are confident that after this process, the facts above will come to light and a criminal complaint will not be filed against him."

USA Track and Field spokeswoman Jill Greer said the organization is "seeking more information about his situation."

Dodson completed his first year of law school at CU before taking a year off to compete in Korea, according to Ewing. He said Dodson plans to return to school after the competition.

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